The present invention relates to the field of navigational guidance systems and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method that provides off-line and off-heading navigation information.
Accurate and convenient navigation information has made a significant contribution towards the advancement of modern society and is utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Vehicles (e.g., planes, cars, tractors, boats, construction vehicles, etc.) have facilitated increased productivity and reduced costs in a variety of areas including transportation, construction, farming, defense, etc. The benefits provided by these vehicles are often dependent upon an operator""s ability to accurately navigate a course along a designated path. However, vehicle operators typically do not have the pure natural sensory ability to precisely navigate a particular course unaided and they are usually dependent upon devices that provide navigation assistance. For example, it is often relatively difficult for an operator to keep a vehicle on a particular navigational line and heading. Due to the relatively complexities and attention required to operate numerous vehicles it is important that the navigation information be provide in convenient and easy to perceive formats.
Efficient navigation usually provides resource conservation and increased activity benefits. For example, accurately guiding a vehicle such as a ship or plane along a straight line path between a launching point and destination typically saves fuel and time. Accurately guiding a vehicle is also important in avoiding dangerous conditions (e.g. shallow waters, mountains, etc.) Vehicles are often used to perform tasks in which relatively precise navigational operation provides increased production results. For example, it is often advantageous for tractors and other vehicles utilized in farming operations to accurately follow uniform row designs during planting, dusting and harvesting crops. Following uniform rows during these activities usually facilitates increased production with the expenditure of reduced resources. For example, accurately navigating agriculture patterns helps assure seeds are located in the appropriate portion of a row, pesticide spraying actually hits the crops, and crops are not missed during harvesting.
Ultimate navigation control of a typical vehicle usually resides with the vehicle operator. Even in automated navigation situations the operator usually has override capabilities. An operator typically guides a vehicle by physically manipulating the vehicle navigation controls (e.g., a steering wheel). The manual control manipulations required to guide a vehicle along a desired path are often very complex. For example, planes, heavy construction vehicles, agricultural equipment, cargo ships and oil tankers usually require a significant level of concentration and dexterity skills when trying to precisely follow a designated path. Efficient and easy to use navigation aids make an operator""s navigation task easier and allows the operator to spend more concentration on the manual manipulations of a vehicle guidance system.
Navigation information often comprises numerous components and is presented in a number of ways. One important component of navigation information is an indication of a line of travel and the another is heading information. Not accurately following a line of travel has detrimental affects such as not planting a row of vegetation correctly. Typically, tractors used for planting rows of crops are operated manually by an operator who drives the tractor along each row to be planted or harvested. It is usually difficult for an operator of a tractor to maintain relatively precise positioning of the tractor relying only upon unaided natural perception and ability to interpret if they are accomplishing the objective. Even if the operator realizes they are on the wrong line it is usually very difficult to determine the appropriate adjustment to make to correct the problem. Effective off heading information is important because it provides an indication of the direction the vehicle should point to get on the correct line. Operators usually utilize their sensory faculties (e.g., sight, hearing) to receive navigational information feedback and make adjustments to a vehicle line and heading. However, human navigational frailties make following a precise line and an appropriate heading difficult. Traditional navigation information systems attempt to assist an operator overcome human navigational frailties.
In an attempt to make the operation of vehicles easier for the operator, some traditional navigation aids attempt to provide the operator with navigational information. However, traditional navigation information systems usually provide navigational assistance in a relatively complicated manner. Traditional navigational aids typically provide information in a format that still requires a significant level of the operators sensory and concentration resources. For example, some traditional navigational aids provide information in a textual format with complicated technical content (such as a printout of latitude and longitude data, or a compass direction, etc.). Traditional textual information typically requires a high level of comprehension of complicated navigational relationships and terms.
Traditional navigational aids often rely on electronic systems to provide information. These navigational aids typically utilize a global positioning system (GPS) to determine a position. One potential beneficial use of a GPS is for guiding a vehicle to move on a predetermined path (e.g., planting crops, navigating hazardous geographic environments (a harbor, straits, canyon, swamp, etc.). Some traditional devices that rely on GPS and attempt to provide navigation information to an operator in a relatively easy format to comprehend and interpret but do not typically provide sufficient navigation information. For example, a traditional device may provide information on a line but not corrective heading information. Other traditional navigational aids attempt to provide a significant amount of navigational information on a single screen with a single scale such as utilizing different symbols on the same scale to represent different navigation information. These traditional aids often require significant operator concentration to make sure they are focused on the correct symbol and interpret what units are associated with that symbol on the scale.
What is required is a system and method that provides off-line and off-heading correction information in a convenient format that is easy for an operator to comprehend.
The present invention is a system and method that provides off-line and off-heading correction information in a convenient format that is easy for an operator to comprehend. A dual mode indication system of the present invention provides two different types of navigation information in a single device presentation configuration that is efficient and effective. The dual mode indication system presents information in a manner that is intuitive with minimal sensory resource commitment. In one embodiment of the present invention the dual mode indication system includes a light emitting diode (LED) light bar that provides off line information by selectively illuminating LEDs in a pattern that corresponds to the relative position of a vehicle to a desired line of travel (e.g., along an agricultural planting row). In one embodiment of the present invention the dual mode indication system includes an analog dial that provides an indication of an appropriate heading for the vehicle to make adjustments and stay on heading and on line. In one exemplary implementation of the present invention the analog dial rotates to point in an appropriate heading. Providing the off line and off heading in these simplified and effective formats permits assist a vehicle operator keep a vehicle on a desired line and moving in a correct direction with minimal operator effort expended observing, interpreting and analyzing the navigation information.